"I told them there won't be much money left because we are spending it! We have a lot of commitments. What comes in we spend, and there isn't much left," he said. "I certainly don't want to leave them trust funds that are albatrosses round their necks."

Not that they've needed the money. They all have a good work ethic, he added.

"They have this work ethic that makes them want to succeed on their own merit. People make assumptions, that they were born with a silver spoon in their mouth, but they have not been given a lot," he said.

Sting's children have done well for themselves, particularly daughter Mickey, who had a major role in the film "Frances Ha."

The former Police frontman, now 62, was born Gordon Sumner and grew up working-class in Wallsend, near Newcastle in northeast Britain. He told The Mail on Sunday that he couldn't wait to leave his hometown.

"It was a pretty violent wrench. I didn't feel I belonged there and the family was pretty dysfunctional in many ways. My parents were not happy together," he said. "They loved their kids but it was a toxic environment. I needed to escape and I am glad I did."

Sting went on to great success, first with the Police and then as a solo act. For his latest work, the musical "The Last Ship," he's returned to his childhood.

"The irony is that I'm going back to Wallsend, from where I had done everything in my power to escape," he said.

The show, which is currently running in Chicago, is expected to premiere on Broadway in the fall.

Sting said he doesn't feel guilty about his wealth -- "I use my houses and love having them. I am grateful I have made money" -- but he still tries to keep his feet on the ground.

"I demand a citizen's life -- I really do. Walking the street; going to a bar on my own," he said. "I want to be able to pick up my bags from the (airport luggage) carousel and walk to the car. There are times when I don't want or need attention."